


Conjured Memories

by LiraelClayr007



Series: NaPoWriMo 2020 [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: (kind of), Childhood Memories, False Memories, Gen, What Could Have Been
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:35:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23569165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiraelClayr007/pseuds/LiraelClayr007
Summary: The war is done, the wizarding world is saved. On a warm summer night at the Burrow, Harry...remembers.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Series: NaPoWriMo 2020 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686106
Kudos: 3





	Conjured Memories

There are cookies in the oven.

Cookies in the oven and rain  
on the roof; he hears the  
shushing  
of the rain almost  
all around him.  
The smell is sweet  
and warm, and he’s snuggled  
into Mum’s lap, listening to the rain  
and her voice reading  
the stories with the funny words.  
He likes the sounds–  
babbity  
rabbity  
babbity  
rabbity.  
And Mum’s voice  
is as warm  
as the cookie smell.

His body feels heavy.  
Safe. Mum’s arms  
tighten  
around him.

_He asleep?_  
Dad asks.

_I think so,_  
Mum whispers.

He’s pulled tight  
to Mum again;  
she kisses his cheek,  
his temple.  
 _Dream of the stars,_  
 _Harry._

Things shift,  
he’s with Dad now;  
strong arms  
carry him to his bed.  
 _Don’t stop at the stars,_  
Dad says. _Dream the whole_  
 _universe._  
He kisses Harry’s forehead,  
strokes his hair, rubs his back.  
 _It’s all for you, Harry._  
 _The whole universe._

The rain soothes Harry to sleep.

*

_It never happened._

Harry doesn’t know  
if he’s talking to the stars  
he sees through the Burrow’s  
open window, to Ron–  
who can’t hear him anyway  
because he’s asleep on his bed–  
or to himself.

It never happened,  
but it’s nice to  
imagine  
it did.

_I don’t have the universe,_  
 _Dad,_ he whispers to the stars.  
 _I don’t even have you and Mum,_  
 _which hurts worse than anything._  
 _But I’ve managed to do some good,_  
 _I think. And I found a family._

It’ll have to do.

**Author's Note:**

> NaPoWriMo Day 9
> 
> prompts: Harry Potter and a memory that never was


End file.
